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Cape dorid

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Cape dorid
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Family: Chromodorididae
Genus: Hypselodoris
Species:
H. capensis
Binomial name
Hypselodoris capensis
(Barnard, 1927)[1]
Synonyms
  • Glossodoris capensis Barnard, 1927

The Cape dorid (Hypselodoris capensis) is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.

Distribution

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This species can found around the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to the Wild Coast subtidally to at least 20 m. It is probably endemic.[2]

Description

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The Cape dorid is a white-bodied dorid with a smooth skin. It has opaque white lines along the notum and irregular reddish-orange spots. It has a broken blue-purple margin. It has eight gills arranged around the anus and its rhinophores are perfoliate. The rhinophores and gill edges are orange. It may reach a total length of 50 mm.[3] This species is very similar in appearance to Hypselodoris carnea.[4]

Ecology

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This species feeds on an undescribed pale blue sponge. Its egg ribbon is a creamy collar of several whorls.

References

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  1. ^ Barnard, K. H. (1927) South African nudibranch mollusca, with descriptions of new species, and a note on some specimens from Tristan d'Acunha. Annals of the South African Museum 25(1): 171-215, pl. 19-20.
  2. ^ Gosliner, T.M. 1987. Nudibranchs of Southern Africa ISBN 0-930118-13-8
  3. ^ Zsilavecz, G. 2007. Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. ISBN 0-620-38054-3
  4. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2000 (July 19) Hypselodoris capensis (Barnard, 1927). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.